The present invention relates to data processing by digital computer, and more particularly to preserving and accessing active components in web pages.
A web page is a document sent by a web server to a web browser in response to a request from the web browser. One protocol used for such communication is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol).
A web page can include one or more programs that execute in the web browser once the web page has been loaded by the web browser. The programs can perform tasks on the web page. For example, the programs can display animations, perform calculations, or validate user input. Such programs will be referred to as active components. Active X controls and Java applets are examples of active components.
Typically, it is not possible for a web server to make calls to active components running in a web browser. Also, when a web browser loads a web page, any active components in the web page are instantiated by the web browser and run in the web browser. Subsequently, when the web browser is preparing to load a new web page, any active components currently running in the web browser are terminated by the web browser before the new web page is loaded. Even if the new web page includes the same active component as the previous web page, the web browser still terminates the active component and re-instantiates the active component when the new web page is loaded.